Sworn Translation for Germany (Beglaubigte Übersetzung)

The short answer

A sworn translation for Germany (a beglaubigte Übersetzung) is a translation into German certified by a translator who has been sworn in by a German regional court, with their stamp and signature. You need one whenever a German authority, such as a Standesamt, Ausländerbehörde or university, asks for a foreign document. Ours cost a flat £48 per page, all in, and arrive within two working days.

Germany runs on paperwork, and that paperwork runs on stamps. Turn up at the Standesamt with a translation you did yourself (or one from a well-meaning cousin who "speaks really good German") and you'll get a polite but very firm Nein. Possibly followed by a new appointment in six weeks' time.

The good news: once you know what German offices are looking for, it's genuinely simple. One document, one sworn translation, one stamp. Let's get you through it on the first try.

Sworn translation for Germany at a glance

What it is: A beglaubigte Übersetzung: a translation into German certified by a court-sworn translator, with stamp and signature
Who asks for it: Standesamt, Ausländerbehörde, universities, recognition bodies, courts and notaries
Price: £48 per page, all in. Nothing added at checkout
Turnaround: Up to 2 working days (no rush option for sworn work)
Languages: Into German, from English or almost any other language
Delivery: Stamped, signed PDF by email. Paper original posted on request

Do I Need a Sworn Translation for Germany?

If a German public body wants to see a document that isn't in German, the answer is almost always yes. German offices don't just want to understand your document. They want someone to take legal responsibility for the translation, and in Germany that someone is a translator who has been sworn in by a regional court (Landgericht).

That's the key difference from the UK. Here, a translation company can certify its own work, and UKVI is perfectly happy with that. In Germany, the certification has to come from a court-sworn translator, which is why your trusty UK certified translation might get sent back. If you want the full side-by-side, our guide to sworn vs certified translation covers how the two systems differ across Europe.

Wait, which direction are you going?

This guide is about translating documents into German for use in Germany. If you've got German documents and need them in English for a UK visa, that's a different (and cheaper) job. Read our guide to German document translation for UK visas instead.

Which German Offices Ask for One?

Pretty much every office you'll meet on your German adventure. Here are the usual suspects:

Standesamt (registry office)

Getting married in Germany, registering a baby's birth, or sorting out a name change. Expect to hand over birth certificates, proof you're free to marry, and divorce papers if there's a previous marriage in the picture.

Ausländerbehörde (immigration office)

Residence permits, family reunion, the EU Blue Card and settlement. Marriage and birth certificates are the classics, plus anything else the caseworker asks for once they've seen your file.

Recognition bodies (Anerkennung)

Want your UK nursing, teaching, engineering or law qualification recognised in Germany? Degree certificates, transcripts and professional registrations usually need to arrive in German.

Universities and uni-assist

Applying to study in Germany? Many universities want certificates and transcripts that aren't in German or English translated by a sworn translator. Check each university's admissions page, because they don't all agree.

Courts, notaries and the Bürgeramt

Buying property, sorting out an inheritance, registering a company or dealing with a court case. Notaries in particular are sticklers for a proper Beglaubigungsvermerk.

A word of advice from people who've seen a lot of German paperwork: buy a ring binder (an Ordner). You will need it. Every German resident owns at least one, and you're about to join the club.

Documents People Most Often Translate into German

Birth, marriage, divorce and death certificates
ACRO police certificates and other criminal record checks
Degree certificates, diplomas and academic transcripts
Professional registrations and certificates of good standing
Bank statements, payslips and employment contracts
Court orders, powers of attorney, wills and company documents
Medical reports and insurance paperwork

Getting married in Germany is the big one. The Standesamt will want to see that you're free to marry, which in German bureaucracy is the glorious Ehefähigkeitszeugnis. How you prove it depends on your nationality, so ask your Standesamt for its list early. Our guide to certificate of no impediment translations explains how the paperwork fits together.

Whatever the document, translate all of it: the stamps, the small print, the back page and the handwritten note in the margin. German offices notice what's missing.

Do I Need an Apostille as Well?

Often, yes. Here's the easiest way to remember it: an apostille vouches for your document. A sworn translation vouches for the German. They do different jobs, and plenty of German offices want both.

The order matters. Get the apostille first, then upload the apostilled document so the translation covers the apostille too. Do it the other way round and you might end up paying twice. Not sure how apostilles work in the UK? Our UK apostille process guide walks through it step by step.

How Much Does a Sworn Translation into German Cost?

Our sworn translation into German costs a flat £48 per page, all in. That covers the translation, the sworn translator's certification, stamp and signature, and delivery by email. Nothing gets added at checkout, and you see the full price before you pay.

Turnaround is up to two working days. Because a sworn translator personally reviews and signs every document, sworn work isn't available on our 24-hour or 8-hour options. If your appointment (your Termin, which you probably waited weeks for) is coming up, order a couple of days ahead and relax.

Need the paper version with a wet stamp? Some offices still like to hold the real thing. Just ask us and we'll post you a paper original.

How to Order a Sworn Translation into German

Upload your document

A scan or a clear phone photo is fine. If it has an apostille, upload the apostilled version so the stamp gets translated too.

Choose Germany as the country you're submitting in

Pick Germany under "Where will you submit this?" on the quote form. That switches your order to a sworn translation into German.

See your price and deadline, then pay

You'll see the all-in price of £48 per page and your delivery date before you pay. No surprises at checkout.

We translate, and a sworn translator certifies it

Your document is translated into German, then checked and certified by a translator sworn in by a German regional court, with the Beglaubigungsvermerk, stamp and signature.

Receive your sworn translation

Within two working days you get a single PDF with your original and the stamped, signed German translation. Need a paper original? Ask and we'll post one.

Got instructions from the office? Send them our way

Requirements can vary between federal states and even between individual offices. If your Standesamt, Ausländerbehörde or university has told you in writing how it wants the translation done, attach that letter or email to your order and we'll follow it.

My Document Isn't in English. Is That a Problem?

Not at all. Lots of people moving to Germany via the UK have documents from a third country: a Polish birth certificate, an Indian degree, a Brazilian marriage certificate. We translate into German from almost any language. Tell us the source language when you upload and we'll confirm before you pay.

A Tiny German Paperwork Glossary

German loves a long word. Here are the ones you'll bump into, so you can nod knowingly at the counter:

Beglaubigte Übersetzung: A certified (sworn) translation. The thing you're here for.
Beeidigter / vereidigter Übersetzer: A sworn-in translator. And yes, they really do swear an oath before a court.
Ermächtigter Übersetzer: An authorised translator. Same job, different federal state, different word.
Beglaubigungsvermerk: The certification clause at the end of the translation. The bit with the stamp.
Beglaubigte Kopie: A certified copy of your original, not a translation. Some offices ask for one of these as well, so read your letter carefully.
Ehefähigkeitszeugnis: Proof that you're free to marry. Twenty letters, one very important piece of paper.

Sworn Translation for Germany: FAQs

What is a beglaubigte Übersetzung?

It's the German name for a sworn (certified) translation. A translator who has been sworn in by a German regional court (Landgericht) translates the document, then adds a certification clause (Beglaubigungsvermerk) confirming it is accurate and complete, with their own stamp and signature. That stamp is what German offices look for.

Will the Standesamt or Ausländerbehörde accept your sworn translation?

German offices ask for a translation certified by a sworn translator, and that is exactly what you get from us. Requirements can vary between federal states and individual offices, though, so if your office has given you written instructions, send them with your order and we'll follow them.

How much does a sworn translation into German cost?

A flat £48 per page, all in. That covers the translation, the sworn translator's certification, stamp and signature, and email delivery. Nothing is added at checkout.

How long does a sworn translation into German take?

Up to two working days. Sworn translations need a second pair of hands, because the sworn translator reviews and signs every document, so they aren't available on our 24-hour or 8-hour turnarounds.

Can I get a paper original with a wet stamp?

Yes. You get the stamped and signed translation as a PDF by email, and if your office wants the paper version, just ask us and we'll post you a paper original.

Do I need an apostille as well as a sworn translation?

Often, yes, but they do different jobs. An apostille confirms your original document is genuine, while the sworn translation makes it readable in German. If you need both, get the apostille first and upload the apostilled document, so the translation covers the apostille too.

My document isn't in English. Can you still translate it into German?

Yes. The source document can be in almost any language. Tell us the language when you upload and we'll confirm before you pay.

What's the difference between beeidigt, vereidigt and ermächtigt?

Mostly geography. Germany's federal states use different words for the same thing: a translator formally appointed or sworn in by a court to certify translations. A beglaubigte Übersetzung from any of them is the same kind of document.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. German offices set their own document requirements, so always check what your specific office has asked for.

Sworn Translation for Germany: How to Get It Right First Time